New Multiprotocol Wireless MCU Series for Edge Devices

NXP Semiconductors is expanding its MCX portfolio with the introduction of the MCX W series multiprotocol wireless MCUs. It offers enhanced connectivity options. This new series of devices builds upon the success of the MCX A and MCX N series, providing innovative edge devices with secure multiprotocol wireless MCUs for Matter, Thread, Zigbee, and Bluetooth Low Energy.

The MCX W series flaunting multiprotocol wireless MCUs leverages:

• FRDM development platform and the MCX portfolio device architecture, core, peripherals, and MCUXpresso Developer Experience.
• This combination enables a scalable MCU platform.
• Simplifies the process of creating new products or targeting new use cases in the industrial and IoT markets further propelling innovative edge devices in multiprotocol wireless MCUs environment.
• The initial two families within the MCX W series, namely the MCX W71x and W72x, have been developed to enhance adaptability for smart connected devices in the long run through a software-upgradeable independent radio subsystem.

This subsystem facilitates multitasking by transferring tasks from the main core, thereby allowing it to focus on running the primary application.

With support for scalable memory capacities for both the application and connectivity stacks, along with the capability for over-the-air (OTA) updates, the MCX W series powered with multiprotocol wireless MCUs capabilties enables secure connected edge devices to undergo upgrades as consumer requirements evolve and connectivity standards such as Matter progress.

Key Features of the MCX W series Multiprotocol Wireless MCUs:

• Comes with the industry’s first multiprotocol wireless MCUs that support the new Bluetooth Channel Sounding standard.
• Making it suitable for a wide range of applications including secure access, asset tracking, and indoor wayfinding.
  The MCX W will advance ambient computing across various market segments and applications. As connectivity standards evolve, new capabilities and features will be introduced in future versions.
• The ability to upgrade devices is crucial to prolong their lifespan, minimize redesign efforts, and offer unique features.
• The MCX W series Multiprotocol Wireless MCUs empowers developers to improve their products over time by providing the necessary performance and memory to adapt to future changes in standards and user requirements through OTA firmware updates.
• Developers can take advantage of a scalable and secure MCU platform that supports multiple connectivity standards.
• The scalability across the entire MCX portfolio simplifies the development of different end devices based on a unified platform, reducing costs, complexity, and accelerating time to market.

“The future of smart connected devices is evolving faster than ever before, with new features and capabilities introduced regularly,” said Charles Dachs, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Industrial and IoT, NXP. “The MCX W series enriches the overall MCX portfolio, making it easier for developers to bring advanced connectivity to their designs and enabling new innovations to be deployed to the next generation of IoT and industrial devices.”

The MCX W series supports both standalone or hosted architectures and are pin- and software-compatible, allowing developers to easily migrate to the part that best fits their use case.

The MCX W71x and W72x families feature a 96 MHz Arm® Cortex®-M33 core. Both families leverage an independent radio subsystem, with a dedicated core that offloads the main CPU, preserving it for the primary application, and additional memory to support software updates.

They also offer advanced security with an integrated EdgeLock® Secure Enclave Core Profile.

Building on NXP’s strong history of providing industrial edge solutions, the MCX W series offers a wide operating temperature range from -40°C to 125°C and peripherals for industrial applications, including a CAN interface and are part of NXP’s 15-year Product Longevity Program to support long-term industrial use.

The MCX W71x family supports:

• Simpler IoT devices with a single chip solution or acting as a co-processor in a hosted architecture.
• NXP delivers a complete software solution to allow the MCX W71x to operate seamlessly as a network or radio co-processor with NXP’s broad portfolio of MCX MCUs, i.MX RT crossover MCUs, and i.MX applications processors.

The MCX W72x family adds Bluetooth Channel Sounding capabilities, with a dedicated on-chip Localization Compute Engine accelerator to reduce ranging latency.

It incorporates additional memory to support application-specific code, connectivity stacks, and over-the-air firmware updates. In addition, the radio subsystem can run the full Thread or Zigbee stack alongside the Bluetooth Low Energy stack.

This delivers reliable wireless performance, as the real-time activities of the radio run on a separate core from the application.

Security at the Core of the IoT

Security for smart connected devices across the IoT and industrial ecosystem is more important than ever.

The MCX W series multiprotocol wireless MCUs help accelerate compliance with upcoming cyber security regulations such as the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark and European Cyber Resilience Act and other security standards, such as IEC 62443, leveraging an integrated EdgeLock Secure Enclave (Core Profile) that protects sensitive security functions and natively supports EdgeLock 2GO services.

It also includes device authentication, secure boot, and secure firmware install and update. It accelerates connectivity standards’ cryptography with secure key install and management in untrusted manufacturing sites.

Combined with NXP’s status as the only silicon vendor approved by the CSA to issue Matter security certificates as a Product Attestation Authority to other companies, the MCX W multiprotocol wireless MCUs simplifies and accelerates Matter end device productization and manufacturing with a complete end-to-end solution for securely provisioning IoT devices.   

Comprehensive Developer Enablement

The MCX W series accelerates development with NXP’s FRDM boards, a low-cost, scalable hardware development platform supported by the MCUXpresso Developer Experience across the full MCX portfolio. MCX FRDM boards include industry-standard headers, easy access to the MCU’s I/Os, and an on-board MCU-Link debug probe. The MCX W FRDM boards include full wireless certification, providing developers with a strong starting point for their own designs.

MCX W Series Multiprotocol Wireless MCUs Supported By MCUXpresso Ecosystem

Common with the broader MCX portfolio, the MCX W series is supported by the widely adopted MCUXpresso ecosystem, including the MCUXpresso SDK, which provides production-grade software, drivers and middleware all in one central location. NXP provides validated and certified stacks for a wide range of IoT connectivity standards, such as Matter, Thread, Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy and more, to streamline the development and deployment of IoT devices.

Product Availability

The MCX W series will begin sampling in 2H 2024. For Further Info: NXP.com/MCXW